Paying for gas

[Capt. Roseate]

With the price of Gas going up and up, I would like some thoughts on this question. “Who Pays For Gas”
I will tell you of my personal situation. I am at a Marina close to the Cape May Inlet and
I only make short trips out front.( under 12 miles) I am in a financial situation where I do not need to ask for help to pay for gas. I never take gas money from my family or friends. But I am fortunate to be able to do this. Finally let me say I DO NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH GETTING GAS MONEY.
Now here is my Question. I recently went out on a friends boat.(my 1st time on his boat)( he never was on my boat) He had 3 of his friends on the trip with us. When we returned he stopped for gas. When the bill came I suggested to divide it up 4 ways .the 3 guests said it should be 5 ways split, that the owner should be included. I said fine and ended it. Was I wrong to think it was OK for the owner not to chip in or were these three. (The total was $160.00)
WAS I WRONG

[JackStraw]

owner should not pay!

[surfrod22]

Think of it this way, the owner is paying for the boat, the slip, the insurance if you get hurt, the wear and tear on the boat, and the repair and towing bill if you break down. And someone wants to cheap out over paying for the gas. Oh The Nerve!!!!!!!!!!

[Fishingbogus]

I have a little boat and I like to take friends and family out. I never take thier money. If my bill was $160.00 I would take it in a heart beat! You should have covered his 1/5 of the bill. You would have felt better and made those other slackers look like poop!:)

[Miss Hailey]

Ill Pay let go

[bbuzzi]

I would pay my way and not have the owner pay. If you do not have a 6pack and take money from people you could get in to trouble.

In FL, a very good friend of mine asked everyone to chip-in for gas. We all did. Not a big thing. We went fishing and had a great time.

Of the people on the boat had and accident and messed up his hand and lost some movement in his fingers. Well ..... he ended up getting sued and was accused of taking a fair for hire (gas money) without a 6pack or the proper insurance. This was a nightmare for him.

I don't know if the law is the same in NJ. Just something to think about. Does anyone know the the Law in NJ about this.

[Cachalot]

I never ask but if someone offers I will take it. I paid $3.15/gal for red diesel on Sat. 180 gallons, ouch! :eek:

[Weston]

I know of someone who took money from the guys he took out he had an accedent and they they found him guilty of not having a 6pack lisence. It used to be if you are not making money juts cutting even you do not need a 6pack. but in cort they do not care if you take money you need the 6pack. Weston Custom Fishing Rods

[riprnner]

the owner should never pay for gas.If the boat broke down would the repair cost be split 5 ways? Never happen

[NJWardy]

IMHO, you would get an invitation to go back out with me...the other three would not. Capt. should not pay.

[captainbadfinger]

The way the law reads,if You take any money at all it is looked at as a Charter.It is a stupid rule but that is the way it is!!

[TrimTab]

Never make the captain pay. He may include himself but it should never be expected.:cool:

[anotherhassel]

guys i own a small cc 20' me my buddies go out and we all split everything bait fuel food everything i dont think there is anything wrong with askin the capt to pay b/c if the other guys werent there the capt may or may not go anyway he owns the boat he knows hes gonna have to pay for things including fuel

[32luhrs]

This is a tough question, If I didn't ask people to go fishing I'd spend the season tied to the dock but I also don't expect to be paid for fuel. I always feel funny "inviting " someone fishing and taking money from them. If guest (mostly friends) offer to pay I usually refuse but they are pretty persistant and insist that I take fuel money. I always make sure they get a trip on me at some time during the season.

[dmeloro]

I usually pay -- I figure I'm going with or without guests, and I'm happy just to have someone along for the trip.

[JoeyZac]

YOU WERE NOT WRONG.

I have a 23ft cc and most of my fishing is just a trip to the reef and back. Usually I go through 20 - 30 gallons on a full day of fishing. When friends or family offer to chip in for gas (usually $20-$40), I accept it, and I never ask if they don't offer.

If I went out on someone else's boat, as far as I am concerned I am paying for the gas, and while I won't make a big enough stink about it to ruin the trip, good guests should offer to pay for gas (and bait, and food).

If 4 guests balked at the thought of splitting gas 4 ways and wanted to include the captian to split it 5 ways..... well, that's just petty. Not good guests. Not terrible either, but not good.

[KHP]

Take the money! If a "friend" sues you, he's not your friend! Everyone mentioned how much gas cost now, how about how much a Boat cost now. I'll take the gas money and take my chances.

[freaky One]

we usually split everything by how many guys are on the boat including the capt..if it is a trip to the rips and back i dont worry about it..if your luggin 4 big guys and burning lots of fuel its a different story...

[Bigguy]

4 guys into $160 =$40 bucks. 5 guys into$160 = $32. Tight as*es for $8. Probably spent more than that on their lunch. Just my 2 cents. Joe.

[brew]

If we run offshore we split the gas bill (usually equally). The crew (friends) bring the rest - food, bait, drinks, etc. I don't have a problem chipping in for the gas on my boat, its my boat. I know there are a lot of other costs involved but that comes with owning a B-O-A-T (Bust Out Another Thousand).

if its a short trip inshore or in the back to the inlet, I don't worry about the guys chipping in. but if they do, it goes into the boat kiddy.

As far as friends suing friends, it not always cut and dry. if they don't have insurance of their own, sometimes its the only way to cover their expenses for injury. That whole thing sucks. :(

[saltflyfisherman]

The way that I would consider doing the gas bit is. I would cover the whole cost of gas, but w/ that being said. Because the whole License issue and the fines that can come about, would be to have everyone inc. the owner of the boat split all cost. Now this makes them a not for hire person and in legal rights as to not have a license. Now take what is the cost that he or she chipped in for the gas and if they use a certain marina for bait give the money to the shop as future spending money as a gift in the name of this person. I know that when we charter a sailboat from any marina we all chip in equal amt of monies towards the charter. This gets us around the capt. needs a license. We are not for hire and are considered equal share.

[DaPlumber]

I always pay ( most of the time more then my share ). Some guys do pay a little more and it is appreciated . I will say this , it can be very awkward . Group asks how much , you do break down gas + oil + bait + ice = x . Then the great question , how much do you want :confused: ? Reality from me is I dont sweat it too much because I dont expect it , but it is getting harder every year . If the guests cant pony up 40-50 a day to be on the water , what are you gonna do ?

[Ledge Fever]

Here is a link to the US Coast guard definitions for charter boats including what is a charter. Look at page two where it specifically addresses the voluntary sharing of expenses; fuel, food, drink, etc. It specifically states that this is not a charter and no license is required.
http://www.uscg.mil/d9/MSD_Sturgeon_Bay/Licensing%20Forms/UPVregs.pdf

I would call your insurance company and clarify their policy on sharing expenses. But according to the US Coast guard this is not a charter.

[BassAnglerK]

I usually let my guests pay for bait, ice, their rigs, etc. and I pick-up the fuel bill. I don't burn a lot of gas either (small boat). On those occasions when we make a long run, I'll ask them to help pay the bill. ALWAYS have insurance !!!! Someone said their friend got sued, hopefully meaning "his insurance Co., not him. That is why we have insurance. GFB , but, if someone accidently got hurt on my boat, I would be covered in almost any circumstance. Hopefully, none of our "friends" would sue us personally.;)

[BassAnglerK]

Thanx Ledge

[sweet release1]

if i'm called and have an invite to go fishing ,i will pay my way!! ,but ! if i was invited just to help out with gas and bait ect. that is just wrong.on my boat ,if i invite someone onboard i feel i was going anyway and to have him or her onboard is a plus.so i donot ask for money .this whole money thing just gets in the way of fishing and makes for some bad trips. bottom line ,if you can not afford the day of fishing, than don't go!!!!! and yes it is nice to help someone out ,but most people are not nice! ,just my two cents ,matt

[BIGGESTJACK]

I Pay Gas But I Better Not Go Hungry!!!michael C Is A Duchebag But Brings Good Stuff.

[WANDERER]

This is a tough one. Here's my 2-cents. If I invite someone or they invite themselves, (you know what I mean), I never like to ask for help with gas or bait money Hell when they offer and ask me how much I never know what to say. Most times thy'll offer 30/40 dollars sometime I'll take it sometimes I'll say its to much. Yes I know the your going anyway theory but here's the problem. Maybe I'm going once a week but the fish are biting and everyone wants to go, you end up doing 3 or 4 trips.
Most of us are on either fixed incomes, us retired guys, or have families and limited extra disposable income. and like the earlier post stated.
I'm paying almost $600.00 a month year round. when you factor in Boat payment, SeaTow, Boat Insurance, and slip fees ( $1950.00 next year)
This does not include Boat and trailer registrations, spring and winter maintenance, gas and oil ($3.60 a gallon gas and $16.50 a gallon oil)
bait and extra tackle. Besides some guys I know pay up to $700.00 on a 6 man charter, others pay average $50.00 on party boat so why don't they think they should share a small percentage of your trip expenses.
Anyway just my opinion

[Franks Seaswirl]

Because of the comments and laws many have already stated related to insurance problems, I dont take the money.

But then again my longest trips are to the reef,. not offshore tuna trips.

I let the guests buy the bait which I guess can add up also.

[Delaware Devil]

As an owner, I'd always insist on paying for ALL expenses unless in was agreed upon differently before leaving the dock- on the other hand, if I was a guest on someone else's boat, I'd always insist on paying my fair share-

[Rob Lynch]

The easiest people to take out are people that own their own boat.
They know what it takes to keep a boat running.

I saw a sign on a boat once that read
"This boats doesnt run on THANKS"

[Fish4Evr]

I thnk that it was selfish of the other to include the owner.

[Dirty Rotten]

I've got two guys I fish with regularly on my boat. Now I run a 20 footer and gas and bait together usually comes to about $60 so we each drop a twenty or so in the pot. My one buddy always brings snacks for everyone. I haven't heard about the Captian never pays rule but I like it. I guess there's a couple things to consider. Are they Guests or a regular fishing crew? Certainly the cost for fishing is expenential as the boat size increases. For me it's not a big deal whether they pay or not. I'm going fishing regardless. But if you have a large boat that takes some scratch to get under way things might get a little more complicated. In many cases the captain won't ask. I never do. Good guests will offer. Mine do. Sometimes they know what I spend sometimes they don't but they'll drop in what they think is fair and that is good enough for me. If you're a guest try to estimate your share of the cost if it's not clear and offer that. If it's too much the captain will take what he needs and save the rest for a beer afterwards!

[SharkRiverGrady]

I always fill the boat on my own dime. I enjoy sharing a good fishing day with guests on my boat better than going alone. If the day will be long, I always suggest that my guest might like to bring a bite for me to eat, but that is the extent of it.
I don't top the tank off after each trip, so if I have to gas up with someone on the boat, I don't want him paying for gas that I burned on other trips.
I knew what I getting into when I bought my B.O.A.T (Borrow out another thousand). Still, one of my top three investments I ever made, (Ring, House, Boat...not necessarily in that order...)

[capemaychef]

It's personal preference...no right or wrong answer...it's whatever makes you feel right. It's all opinion and you know how that story goes...

My feelings...if am invited on someones boat for a fishing trip...I will give the person money...if they decline it's their choice...but I will offer. I will bring food, bait, snacks, whatever for whomever. I'm not loaded with money by any stretch of the imagination but it all works itself out somehow.

When I am going out on our boat(27' Albemarle)...I invite people...I don't expect a dime....I won't ask for a dime...if someone wants to offer...I will accept...if someone wants to bring bait...I accept...but if I'm going fishing usually with my brother...and I ask someone to go along with us...we are already going...so it doesn't cost anymore money to bring them along.

Again it's all opinions...some people feel like me and feel the need to pay for their portion plus whatever it takes to cover the bill on someone elses boat...and others don't.

[Dirty Rotten]

Hey Rob,

I went to school with Tom. Brother or Son?

Kevin

[toolguy73]

If you don't discuss it up front, you are wrong. We are all better off knowing up front what the deal is, if any.

On one hand you've got the guy that goes with you who owns his own boat: he is probably going to chip in with some money.:)

On another hand, you've got the guy who goes with you because you asked, and he doesn't own a boat: don't expect any thing. If he offers, accept it. Don't set yourself up for disappointment. If you didn't discuss it when you ASKED, you told him it was free. He was a guest on your boat.:( This is probably the same guy who stopped by while you were cooking hamburgers, and when you offered one, he took it, but wrapped it up and took it home when he left. (usually a relative)

Then you have the guy who doesn't want anything when you go out with him. Buy him a case of beer.:D The kind he actually drinks.

Then you have the guys who want to split it evenly, including me. I'm fine with that, too.:) I bought the boat knowing what the costs were.

Most people chip in. Some more, some less. :confused:

Some people never will. You only have to take them once to find out.;)

Even though the costs keep rising, I still want to go, and can still afford to pay the way. It's getting tougher, though. Some people are just cheap, some don't care, and some really don't know.:confused:

It is what it is whenever it is. People are different.

I still want to go fishing. Someday I'll be a surf rat, and hang around in the surf forum.:D

[Woolman]

I only fish with people that I want to fish with. Many of my closest friends and relatives are excluded from this group and they know it. Those that I like to fish with know it as well. They also know that when I have my mind to it, I'd be fishing without them if they weren't available. If they want to throw a couple $$ your way, it's your choice to accept or decline. Many times, when friends fish on my boat, they thank me in bait. Any $$ flashed on any boat that I've been on (whether mine or otherwise) has been quickly declined.

As for those jumping onto someone else's boat... If you know the guy (or gal) well, you'll know what to bring. If it's not someone close to you, or you haven't fished this particular boat before, offer something right off the bat - "I'll bring the clams/eels/bunker/beer". If the Capt. needs something else, he'll let you know. If you want to offer a couple $$ for gas, go ahead. However, if the Capt. wanted to be paid, it would have been a charter and not a friendly fishing trip. Hopefully, the Capt. is asking you to enjoy your company and not to subsidize his habit.

[jRIGZguy]

I think whoever owns/captains the boat should set the rule. When I take people out I pay for gas, they buy the bait and bring the lunches. I always make sure not to spring that on them at the last minute, 'cause I think that is kind of rude. If it is mid-summer and we are just cruisin around, I don't ask anyone for a dime. Called a friend of mine last night in a pinch to have a fishing partner for Wednesday, and just asked her to pay the ramp fee. Just my .02.

[willfish57]

Never owned my own boat, but, fished for many years on a few buddy's boats,so, the guy that owns it doesn't pay for bait or ramp fees,,, and anything expected towards ga$ is discussed beforehand, but payed when we got back in, thereby avoiding the *unlicensed* charter issue,, as far as an injury? well, best to know the type of person you're inviting along,,, there's some scumbags that seem like decent ppl out there.

[float finish]

The way I look at it is wether or not I am going out alone or with a friend or two I am still gonna burn the same fuel. I don't ask for $. I appreciate it when it is offered but I still won't accept it. I have two other friends that I go out with occasionally and they have the same policy. When I go on their rig I feel obligated to bring bait or drinks or maybe even a new lure.

[snooked]

I bought a new(to me)boat this year. made about 15 trips this year.i only have 2 friends that fish.had the discusion of spliting fuel bait everyone agreed.never saw a dime all year.the deal was i buy the boat pay the insurance slip,they buy all the gas and bait.they tell me they are broke every time.they make the more money with less bills.


Think i need new friends
Wanted: Fisherman that help out

[Bill Zoda]

It's all up to the captain. As you know, there's lots of hidden costs. But always bring $. My crew almost always chips in. But I hate it when I'm at he gas dock and someone doesn't have $.